3rd Sunday of Lent John 2: 13 – 25

Hello Sisters and Associates, my name is Winnie Odo. I live in a tiny fishing community in Lingan on the most easterly part of Cape Breton in Nova Scotia. I have been blessed to have spent the past 20 years of my life following in the footsteps of our Foundress St. Marguerite Bourgeoys. I’m a person who loves to be challenged, to face something on my journey of life that causes me to go deeper, to depend more on God than on my own resources. The gospel reading for this 3rd Sunday of Lent presented one such challenge, but here goes:

I feel honored and grateful to say that I have always had a deep love for the presence I feel each time I enter a church, there is a sacredness that enters my soul and I feel safe and very secure there. History has taught me though, that not everyone holds that same degree of sentiment for the sanctity with which I honor the church. Today we live with a reality that over the years, things happened in the church that violated the human dignity of many innocent souls. This is today’s reality, one we all have to live with and find peace with. This is a truth that even caused some to not even want to be there. I will be forever grateful that nothing ever happened in the church that could cause me to not want to be there.

Jesus held great hope that His Father’s house would always be a place where people could come and find peace and serenity. 2000 years ago, His hopes were that the church would only ever be a place where people could come to connect with God and find comfort. It was indeed a sad day for Him but even more so for the money changers who tried to take advantage of His Father’s home when He found them selling cattle, sheep and doves there as the Passover drew near. His hopes and dreams were shattered. He was very upset, so much so, that He overturned their tables and whipped those responsible.

I believe He was setting an example for us to ensure that our churches would only ever be used as a place to come and worship God. To my knowledge this is the only place in my own spiritual journey where Jesus ever expressed His anger. Today we are reminded to treat our churches with the reverence they deserve and pray even harder during this Holy Season of Lent, that the sufferings Jesus endured for each of us will be honored in His Father’s home.